Many parents practice babywearing or carrying their infant in a sling. Many
parents claim this practice makes child care easier because the baby is less
likely to fuss and the parent develops a strong bond with the baby, often
knowing the exact cause of the crying. There are many other benefits of
babywearing as well.
A very young infant, less than three months old, often wants to be held
almost constantly. This used to mean the mother either has to constantly carry
the baby and neglect her housework, or take care of the house and let the baby
fuss in his or her bed. With a baby sling, a mother can carry the baby close to
her body while still having her hands free to do housework. Another benefit of
having your hands free is being able to care for older children, if you have
them. You do not have to stop what you are doing for 15 to 30 minutes while you
feed your baby.
Carrying your baby in a sling also benefits breast-feeding. With a sling, you
can nurse your baby in public and not worry about accidentally exposing your
breast. This can be a big help if you have to take an extended trip away from
your house and choose to take your baby with you instead of using a child care
provider. Some infants arch their back or tense up when they nurse. These babies
seem to eat better when they are moving. Sometimes a baby doesn't gain weight
and there doesn't seem to be a reason for the lack of weight gain. These babies
may benefit from being in a sling because the sling promotes closeness to mom.
This closeness encourages frequent breast-feeding, which will help the baby gain
weight.
When you have a baby that wants to be held all the time and you hold him or
her, you frequently experience back and/or shoulder pain. A sling can help
prevent this pain, when worn correctly, because the weight is more evenly
distributed and you aren't contorted into an uncomfortable position trying to
make your baby comfortable. If your baby seems to be extraordinarily fussy and
gassy, your baby may have colic. Carrying your baby in a sling can also help
with the crying and colic because being near you calms and comforts your baby. A
study done in 1986 showed that babies carried at least three hours a day cried
about 50% less than babies carried less than three hours a day.
Another potential benefit for your baby is increased learning. Babies carried
in slings have more alert times compared to babies who are laid in bassinets or
cribs after each feeding. Carrying your baby can also speed his or her speech
development because a carried baby is exposed to more conversation. Carried
babies also see more of the world because they are with their parents for an
extended part of the day, instead of lying in a bed all day. The final benefit
of sling use is for the parents. By carrying your baby close to your body for
most of the day, you bond quicker and better than if you did not. This causes
the parent to feel more confident in the parenting role, which means you feel
better about yourself and your baby can sense that, keeping the baby calmer
during the day. The frequent touching and feeding stimulates the mothering
hormone, also making you more confident as you care for your baby.
